What a great Palm Device!
Written: Aug 15 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Vivid Color Screen, MP3 Playback, Dragonball-VZ Processor, Lithium-Ion Battery, Inexpensive Memory Sticks add Expandability, Quick!
Cons: Dust entry problem in the screen.
The Bottom Line: I am very glad I decided on this one! But your computer MUST support USB....
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| semert's Full Review: Sony CLIE® PEG-N710C Handheld |
Sony has really enhanced their product line with the addition of the Clie 710. With an elegant and solid design comes memory expandability that rivals the WinowsCE devices.
WHAT I LIKE:
MP3 Player:
First, I have always wanted a portable pocket MP3 player. I have also been needing a PDA for a while and this unit wraps both up wonderfully. With memory sticks available at up to 128MB's, I have plenty of room to store a days worth of tunes. Plus it can play the music in the background while I use the PDA functions. The unit can be switched into standby mode when not used as a PDA for extended play time, up to 11 hours! I know that another opinion states that the memory sticks are too expensive, but Sony just slashed prices 50%.
Palm OS:
The first decision in choosing a PDA is the operating system. In making my decision, I enlisted the opinions of many of my friends. At least 90% of them use PalmOS devices but I still got to play with some PocketPC's as well. The PalmOS just seemed more robust and streamlined than the PocketPC devices. Plus there is a plethora of PalmOS applications available for really low prices. So I decided on the PalmOS
Color Screen:
The lack of color was what really was steering me towards a PocketPC device, so when Palm device began emerging with color screens I was very happy. The Clie sports a 320x320 TFT Active matrix screen that is vivid and fast. The chipset will support up to 16bit color, although the PalmOS that is installed on the 710 will only do 8bit color. But that is no big loss that I can see because my family photos look awesome!
Battery Life:
Most days I can use the device all day and never see the battery meter move. So I can tell you that the battery life is great. My wife also uses it in the evenings as an Ebook reader and even after hours of reading, at least 3/4 of the battery life remains.
Dragonball VZ 32Mhz RISC Processor:
This thing really flies! Plus using a program called FastCPU I can overclock it to 55Mhz! (But battery life goes down as CPU speed goes up) I keep it at 40 Mhz most of the time.....
Memory Sticks:
I already own a Sony Camcorder, so I am no stranger to Memory Sticks. So for me this was a tremendous plus. Thanks to Sony licensing out the technology to third party manufacturers, the prices are falling. I find the expandability vs. price very reasonable. Not only can I store MP3's and photos on the memory sticks, but included software allows me to run programs from them as well.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE:
Dust Entry:
The only unfortunate aspect of this unit is an apparent design flaw in the screen. Because the 710 has so many options, there are a lot of entry points for dust. To make things worse, there is a small airspace between the glass cover and the TFT screen. Put all that together and you get a dusty screen. Fortunately I read about this on one of the Clie user forums and stopped carrying it in my pocket. I quickly ordered a carry case for it that clips to my belt. Unfortunately, once the dust gets in there, it must be disassembled to be cleaned. Sony will clean the screen once under the one year warranty, so I will be sending mine in just before the warranty runs out and then sealing the screen myself per instructions found at various web sites..
Overall the dust is not noticeable unless using an application that makes the whole screen black. However it is very important to use a carry case for the 710 and not a pocket!
WHERE I GOT MINE:
I ordered my unit from Crutchfield.com. They are a first class operation that has a 30 day, no questions asked return policy. Plus they pay return shipping! New customers can save $25 on a clie. I have details on my web site at www.highwaymp3.com (save $25 link) .
RECOMMENDATIONS:
For more info on the 710, check out the clie 610/710 user forum at www.palmblvd.com, Clie user group at groups.yahoo.com, and the Clie Club at clubs.yahoo.com.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 499.00
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Epinions.com ID:
semert
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Member: Stephen Emert
Location: Cookeville, TN.
Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 3 members
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